Brutal Definition & Meaning

brutal
adjective
  1. (of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering; "a barbarous crime"; "brutal beatings"; "cruel tortures"; "Stalin's roughshod treatment of the kulaks"; "a savage slap"; "vicious kicks"
  2. harsh; "the brutal summer sun"; "a brutal winter"
  3. resembling a beast; showing lack of human sensibility; "beastly desires"; "a bestial nature"; "brute force"; "a dull and brutish man"; "bestial treatment of prisoners"
  4. disagreeably direct and precise; "he spoke with brutal honesty"

Synonyms for brutal

barbarous adj

(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering; "a barbarous crime"; "brutal beatings

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cruel adj

(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering; "a barbarous crime"; "brutal beatings

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fell adj

(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering; "a barbarous crime"; "brutal beatings

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hard adv

with effort or force or vigor; "the team played hard"; "worked hard all day"; "pressed hard on the lever

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harsh adj

unpleasantly stern; "wild and harsh country full of hot sand and cactus

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inhumane adj

lacking and reflecting lack of pity or compassion; "humans are innately inhumane

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rigorous adj

rigidly accurate; allowing no deviation from a standard; "rigorous application of the law

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roughshod adj

(of a horse) having horseshoes with projecting nails to prevent slipping (of persons or their actions) able or disposed

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savage adj

(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering; "a barbarous crime"; "brutal beatings

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unkind adj

lacking kindness; "a thoughtless and unkind remark"; "the unkindest cut of all" deficient in humane and kindly feelings

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"Brutal" in song lyrics

See how brutal is used in real songs:

  • "I doodle on the page and the game is brutal"
    Dre Dog (Andre Nickatina) & Equipto — Knyte Rydah
  • "Crucial, in neutral, all eyes on me, I'm brutal"
    Do or Die f/ Twista — Paper Chase
  • "The way I beat on a rap was quite brutal"
    Lakim Shabazz — Notes of Def

Words that rhyme with brutal

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Usage tips for "brutal"

Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "brutal" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for brutal to find words that pair well.

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♫ Rhymes with brutal ↔ Synonyms for brutal 🔬 Words containing brutal

Frequently asked questions

What does brutal mean?
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering; "a barbarous crime"; "brutal beatings"; "cruel tortures"; "Stalin's roughshod treatment of the kulaks"; "a savage slap"; "vicious kicks" harsh; "the brutal summer sun"; "a brutal winter" resembling a beast; showing lack of human sensibility; "beastly desires"; "a bestial nature"; "brute force"; "a dull and brutish man"; "bestial treatment of prisoners" disagreeably direct and precise; "he spoke with brutal honesty"
What part of speech is brutal?
Brutal is an adjective.
How many definitions does brutal have?
Brutal has 4 definitions across 1 part of speech (adjective).

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